Let’s keep it simple, for starters: Ray Allen is old. Soon to be 35-years-old, in fact. That means that when Allen enters free agency this summer, a number of teams will see him as a bit too much the elder statesman to be part of their rebuilding projects, and a few quasi-contenders may also take a pass to avoid inking an aging shooting guard to a long-term contract.

It’s hard to dispute the fact that there are plenty of iffy fits for Allen in terms of his age and ability at this point in his career. Yet with each sweet-shooting performance for the Celtics in this year’s playoffs, he comes one step closer to making bank with a team looking to provide perimeter scoring.

Ray is having his best postseason run as a Celtic, and he’s currently averaging Boston career highs in true shooting percentage (62.1%) and PER (16.1). He may turn 35 this summer, but Allen certainly isn’t playing like it. Right now, that’s translating into wins, as Boston is 5-0 in playoff games this year in which Allen scores 20+ points. But later, it’ll be translating into dollars, as Ray’s value in this series will undoubtedly earn him a few extra dollars on the deal he inks this summer. Here’s Doug Smith of the Toronto Star on the subject:

It can also be said – and will be said – that Boston’s Ray Allen has
made himself a whack of money with his oft-overwhelming performance in
these playoffs; a free agent to be who may now find many teams
clamouring to throw cash his way in July.

Allen has been outstanding at times – like in his five
three-point gem on Tuesday night – and you could make the case that
he’s the difference in the Celtics. When he’s making tough, contested
shots, they win. Anyway, he’s also without a contract at the end of this season
I guarantee you there are GMs out there salivating at the chance to
make him an offer.

Yes, he’ll be 35 when next season rolls around and, yes, he’s not the greatest of defenders in the history of the game. But, man, can he shoot and it would not surprise me in the least
if some team didn’t offer him a three-year deal at the mid-level
exception (maybe with the third year non-guaranteed) because there is
an awful lot of value left in those old bones.

Considering the generally poor returns on midlevel deals, Smith’s notion that Allen could be had for three years at the midlevel would be a pretty decent bang for a team’s buck. It’s tough to predict exactly how good Allen will be when nearing 38 (especially on the defensive end), but it’s worth noting that Reggie Miller, the most organic comparison for Allen, was still a capable player at 39.

It seems unlikely that Ray will be in Boston next season as the Celtics look to retool for a run at a later date, though there’s always a possibility that an extended postseason sprint this season could keep the band together for another tour. Should Allen leave, there are a number of contending teams that could vie for his services, particularly if he’s available for the MLE.

Rajon Rondo had 21 official shot attempts (plus was fouled enough to get to the line 16 more times). Of that, 14 of those shots came in the paint.

In game two, the Cavaliers did a good job of turning Rondo into a jump shooter — during the regular season his shot just 30 percent from 16 feet out to the arc, and just 21 percent on threes. He still is far from consistent from out there (and was 3 of 7 from 16 feet or more in Game 4).

Rondo is too quick to expect a guard to stop him on the perimeter, there has to be a big man in the paint to take away the easy shots, to contest the layups, to force the kickouts.

So where was Shaquille O’Neal? He played just 49 seconds of the fourth quarter (despite having 17 points and two blocks already). The Akron Beacon said LeBron James was asking that same question.

”Shaq played extremely well and I think it’s kind of surprising that we didn’t see him back on the floor the entire fourth quarter,” LeBron James said after the 97-87 loss.

Apparently O’Neal asked to come back into the game but never got the chance. He did not speak to the media after the game. Cavs coach Mike Brown wasn’t asked about O’Neal during his short postgame news conference.

There are a host of things the Cavaliers need to fix before a crucial game five, but figuring out how to make Rondo a jumpshooter again is at the top of the list. And Shaq may well be part of the answer. When he’s having a good game, you’ve got to play the man.

The Big Three. KG, PP and Ray Allen. The veteran All-Stars who got together to return Boston to glory. The men that hung a new banner in the Garden two years ago. Three men now part of Celtics lore.

This is not their team any more. This is Rajon Rondo’s team.

If they are going to beat the Cavaliers and crush the Finals dreams of David Stern and Nike executives, it will be because of Rondo, with help from the big three. One of the OG NBA bloggers — Jeff Clark at CelticsBlog — hit the nail on the head.

After a while you just knew. It wasn’t a matter of “if” he would take the reigns form the Big 3 so much as it was “when.”

Ray Allen has already accepted his role as a (very good) 2nd option and long distance assassin. Kevin Garnett has predictably been slow to accept the reality of his once freakish body becoming mortal again. Paul Pierce still walks with the swagger of an alpha dog, but hasn’t been able to stop the trend of “two steps forward, one step back.” As a collective group they are still formidable and many times they still take turns playing the hero. But none of them would be blessed with the opportunity to extend their legacies right now if not for Rajon Rondo.

Rondo leads this team because it starts on defense for him. This is a long, lanky defender who gets steals, disrupts passing lanes and contests everything. He has thrown the Cavaliers offensive attack off balance for stretches of this series (the Cavaliers have done it to themselves for other stretches). Rondo was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for a reason.

On offense, he brings much needed speed for easy baskets in transition to the team (Boston got 16 shot attempts up in transition in Game 4, making 10 of them). He is the guy who can penetrate off the dribble and break down the other team, force their defense to lose its shape. He is the energy a veteran team needs.

It took a while. Rondo had to earn this. Last season in the playoffs the Big Three could not see Rondo as a team leader. He was not consistent, not ready Celtics coach Doc Rivers told Yahoo.

“To me, what Rondo has done is this: He’s done it with his play, and he’s done it with his actions. That allows people to buy in, because they have to buy in. You have to sell that to three guys like that. They have to believe in you all the time. That took a lot of work by Rondo. Last year was up and down – even in the playoffs it was up and down.

“This year it’s been constant, and I think that’s been the biggest swing. If you can convince Kevin Garnett to follow you, then you’ve done a hell of a job. And Kevin believes in him.”

He’s ready now. And he may be ready to lead the Celtics to the biggest upset of these playoffs.

In the first game of the season, way back in October, Rajon Rondo had what looked like a breakaway layup, but instead it became a highlight chasedown block by LeBron James, who caught up with him and swatted it off the backboard.

Fool me once…

In the same situation in Game 4 Sunday, Rondo made the pretty assist instead. Just one part of a highlight day for him.